Caayn
Member
Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...r-down-for-summer-fight-with-eu-as-fines-loom
Fine me if old.
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Google facing several billion dollar fine in the EU
- Thread starter Caayn
- Start date
Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...r-down-for-summer-fight-with-eu-as-fines-loom
Fine me if old.
Caayn
Member
It goes to the EU budget. So that it everyone in the EU benefits from it.
http://ec.europa.eu/budget/explained/budg_system/financing/fin_en.cfm
They're being fined for abusing their monopoly. Google's marketshare in the EU is larger than it is in the US. Google has abused the popularity of their search engine to push their other products, such as Chrome, including Google shopping. And due to the large influence the Google search engine has it means that competition has no chance to compete. IE: Abusing one monopoly to create a monopoly in a different market.
NVIDIA is not in the same position as Google, hence why they wouldn't be fined.
IISANDERII
Member
Sad that it seems like the EU is the only body which is keeping these companies in check.
Googlexit
ClosingADoor
Member
Good. Google needs to be put in place about their monopoly in search and the responsibility that comes with it.
No, they wouldn't.
But splitting off those things makes little sense, as Youtube is not really profitable or preventing others from making a video site.
lol
No, they wouldn't.
But splitting off those things makes little sense, as Youtube is not really profitable or preventing others from making a video site.
Wasn't the whole "Alphabet" thing already about making these parts more separable?
Joe Condor
Banned
Gotta fund that future EU army they're pushing for somehow.
/s
ClosingADoor
Member
You can turn off the personalized ads in the privacy settings of your Google account.
How does that address what he's just said?
Alx
Member
I don't know how consistent it is at EU level, but in France we have such a law, that allow people to ask for their data, and oppose any commercial use of them (not sure about destroying them, though).
Google set up a service to quickly archive those, I don't know if it works everywhere : https://www.google.com/settings/takeout (*e - or maybe it's just for a backup of your own data, but it was meant to be an answer to the privacy laws in Europe)
Tal Shiar Agent
Member
Seems like a whole lot of nothing. Are they just complaining about the "Get Chrome" thing they put at the top of the Google Search homepage?
That, and privileged treatment of google shopping.
Tal Shiar Agent
Member
The EU is really grasping at straws to attack an American tech company, again.
Nikodemos
Member
Oh, those poor US companies. The Competition Directorate is such a meanie for not allowing them the same shit they pull in the US.
Poe's Law is in full force here.
Sweeney Tom
Banned
True Savior
Member
Fine is great, dismantling would be better.
Leave their largest market? Where they have a 90+ market dominance?
I have so much trouble with these laws, because it seems to not actually be based on anything other than local companies complaining. Meaning - a company complains that they have to jump through too many hoops to use Android, and that might be part of the fine.
But that seems bonkers. There is an entirely open source flavour of Android, and people are free to fork and do what they like with it. But what other companies want is for Google to essentially officially endorse their Android devices, allowing them to use play services and the like, even if these companies do not adhere to the increasingly strict requirements Google is enforcing on its partners - things like minimum specs, and device support. Things that they've implemented to improve customer experience.
What do people think about that, does that seem... Sensible?
But that seems bonkers. There is an entirely open source flavour of Android, and people are free to fork and do what they like with it. But what other companies want is for Google to essentially officially endorse their Android devices, allowing them to use play services and the like, even if these companies do not adhere to the increasingly strict requirements Google is enforcing on its partners - things like minimum specs, and device support. Things that they've implemented to improve customer experience.
What do people think about that, does that seem... Sensible?
Fantastapotamus
Wrong about commas, wrong about everything
You forgot the "/s"
The Greek Freak
Member
Much rather they and all tech giants get fined out the ass for their tax bullshit.
Tal Shiar Agent
Member
I don't see how putting "Get Chrome" in the top corner of the Google Homepage is in anyway an abuse of monopoly. And honestly, I'm looking at Google.de right now and I'm not seeing either thing being complained about.
If they are dodging taxes that is one thing, but this complaint is such a nothingburger it comes off an as attack.
It's not like it would matter with the internet being global. How many people actually use their country's specific Google site? I'd wager Google.com is far more likely to be used globally.
Nikodemos
Member
It's a shitton of work going after each of them. They way they're approaching it is to hit Apple, which is the fattest target, then cower the smaller companies into tax compliance.
Fantastapotamus
Wrong about commas, wrong about everything
Laws are not so simple that you can just go to "Google.de" and say "Oh, I don't see this thing. Must be an "attack" then!"
Believe it or not, laws can actually be kinda complicated.
Believe it or not, laws can actually be kinda complicated.
Its literally everyone.
Tal Shiar Agent
Member
The burden of proof is on the accuser and I'm not seeing the proof.
Really? I would be generally interested in seeing analytics of the various Google domains.
Katcrawler
Banned
The EU would stop this bullshit real quick if America started fining European companies for billions as well. EU just continues to pick on American companies because they have an inferiority complex when it comes to the EU versus USA.
Google not being to operate in the EU would have far more consequences than "no country specific sites" lol.
It's not happening anyway.
And again:The fine is calculated as up to 30% of Googles shopping revenues multiplied by the number of years of the anti-competitive behaviour.
This is about preferential treatment of shopping results, NOT the google chrome banner.
Everyone.
Fantastapotamus
Wrong about commas, wrong about everything
You are also not the accused.
Follow the ensuing court battle and study the laws if you want a better picture if this is legit or not.
I can't even go to Google.com without being redirected to my local site, no idea if that's how it is everywhere
Gnihihihi
Except they also fine european companies but i guess you didn't put much thought into your post.
It is the same everywhere. Unless you use a VPN you'll always get your local google site
Nikodemos
Member
For what? EU regulations tend to be stricter, and European companies usually function according to European regulations (because it's costly to keep two sets of operational procedures). Besides, European companies get fined by the Competition Directorate all the time, see the Auto Glass Scandal or the Truck Price Fix Affair.
DasPenguin
Member
Clueless much? If you type google on the address bar it will automatically move you to local site. Can I even visit google.com from Finland? Not from my cellphone at least. It's google.fi automatically.
And Google is already getting fined, so the burden of proof is actually on you to point out why this is wrong.
I don't really think it's as... Simple as that. They've been known to fine EU companies for large sums as well. And I have no trouble with them for issuing fines for tax evasion, for example.
Where it gets really weird is when they issue fines because local companies are like 'Google News is making it real hard for my local city news website to take off' - and there is no real... Evidence that this is the case, but they issue fines anyway. They're looking at doing so for ad-blocking potentially - where Google will be trying to reduce the amount of shitty ads people deal with, and for things like Android, where I mentioned above sounds silly.
I think there are legit reasons for fines, it just feels like a lot of these are nothing more than 'local companies are unsuccessful in the space that you are successful in, and so it's your fault' fines.
KillerMan91
Member
Just year ago EU fined European based truck producers € 2.93 billion for participating in a cartel.
Tal Shiar Agent
Member
Huh, didn't know that they auto-redirect. I can go to any of the Google country sites without being auto-redirected here in the US.
Only .com gets redirected.
Tal Shiar Agent
Member
Do Canadians get redirected to Google.ca?
I'm a bit surprised that Google doesn't do state-specific sites at this point now.
If you enter Google.us where does it take you?
Caayn
Member
I merely used the Chrome example as a visual example of how one can push their product with another product.
Jup the EU is only after US companies, you got them. Ignore that they go after EU companies as well. There's no conspiracy.
It does matter when actually receiving money for AdSense. You know, their money making ventures.